The Holy See urged the United Nations to shift resources spent on armaments toward humanitarian aid and human development, saying the money could meet urgent needs among people in poverty.
Archbishop Christophe Z. El Kassis, the Holy See’s Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations, made the appeal in an Oct. 23 statement to the General Assembly’s First Committee. BusinessDay reported that El Kassis described worldwide military expenditure in 2025, estimated at $2.9 trillion, as troubling.
El Kassis said funds devoted to weapons could instead help people living in poverty and expand access to education and health care. He presented aid and essential services as part of human development and said directing resources toward those needs could contribute to lasting peace.
El Kassis linked conventional weapons with violence and conflict, saying they weaken confidence among states and complicate efforts to secure durable peace. He urged stronger enforcement of the U.N. action plan against illicit small-arms and light-weapons trade, alongside the International Tracing Instrument.
The Holy See voiced concern about countries withdrawing from the Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It called on states to uphold both agreements and work toward their universal adoption, as well as to assist victims, their families and affected communities. The statement warned that withdrawals could threaten decades of progress in humanitarian disarmament.
This year, El Kassis welcomed progress in work by the U.N. expert group on lethal autonomous weapons systems. The Holy See supports a legally binding framework that would set prohibitions and regulations for such weapons. El Kassis also called on every country to endorse the declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas and carry out its commitments, citing damage to civilian infrastructure and ongoing harm to affected communities.
